Belgium shocked world number one Argentina 2-3 at HWL Finals 2017. (Source: PTI)

It was a day of upsets in the Pool A matches of the Hockey World League (HWL) Final in Bhubaneshwar on Saturday, as Belgium and Spain stunned Olympic champions Argentina and European champions Netherlands in their opening matches of elite eight-nation tournament.

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While Belgium shocked world number one Argentina 2-3, lowest-ranked team of the tournament, Spain pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far by defeating World Cup silver medallist Netherlands by an identical margin.

In the first match of the day, the win enabled world number three Belgium to avenge their loss to Argentina in the title clash of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It was an exciting, end-to-end affair between the two Rio Games finalists but it was the Red Lions who drew the first blood in the ninth minute when Loick Luypaert converted a penalty corner.

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After a barren second and third quarters where both the teams struggled to get an edge over each other, the final 10 minutes witnessed an edge-of-the-seat tussle with the teams pumping in as many as four goals.

After Belgium doubled their lead in the 51st minute through a field goal by Amaury Keusters, Argentina pulled one back a minute later when Maico Casella found the net from a field effort.

But Belgium restored their two goal lead four minutes later through another penalty corner conversion by their dragflick expert Tom Boon.

The Argentines, however, did not give up without a fight and scored again to reduce the deficit a minute later through Gonzalo Peillat’s (57th minute) penalty corner strike.